1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

STOP SB2 Here’s why this matters: We already have school choice. Parents can transfer within districts, apply to other districts, attend charter schools, and even send their kids to private schools that offer scholarships/financial aid. Private schools are not accountable. No oversight on what’s being taught or how effective it is. Testing like the STAAR is not required. Public schools receive less funding if their accountability/testing scores are undesirable but a private school will not have any standard requirements. A brand-new private school with no experience or trained teachers could open and still receive tax money under this bill. These schools would not need to follow the same rules as public schools nor will they protect our children they way public schools are required to. Private schools choose, not parents. The bill says parents can choose private schools for their kids, but private schools get to decide who they let in. If a child has behavior problems or needs special help with learning, the school might not accept them or kick them out during the school year. Also, many families can’t afford the costs added to tuition like technology or misc. fees, uniforms, or paying for transportation. The lottery system? If more people apply than there’s funding for, 80% of applicants will go into a lottery if they are "low income" (even families making up to $160k) or have a disability. This means a single mom with 2 kids making $30k will have the same chance as a family of four making $160k. The median household income in Texas in 2023 was $75,780. The other 20% of applicants have no family income cap. Problems in Rural Areas: Many small towns don't have private schools nearby, so kids can’t go even if their parents want them to. Families who don’t have enough money or a car for transportation are left out. Public schools in rural areas don’t have as many kids, so if some students leave for private schools, it can be harder for the school to keep running. Public schools are suffering. Our schools haven't seen an increase in funding since 2019. Yet Texas is the 2nd richest state in the country but is ranked in the bottom 10 in per-student funding. Over 40 states are investing more in their children than Texas! Public schools receive funding based on how many students attend on a daily basis, as well as their performance in their accountability ratings. By using public funds to support private school vouchers, Texas is choosing to divert resources away from essential public education needs. These are needs that all students in public schools face, and that’s where the funding should go. Cost of the Program: The program's projected costs are unsustainable, with funding growing from $1 billion per year to $4 billion annually by 2030. We need to stop SB2 now.